today at one — russia strikes an apartment block in the ukrainian capital kyiv. one person is killed. three people were taken to hospital and nine others treated at the scene after the nine—storey apartment building was hit, ukrainian authorities say. translation: we hid inside the closet. - we thought we were going to be captured, that the russians were getting in through the door — but we were wrong. we got out from the apartment and saw that the staircase was not there any more. everything was on fire. a pregnant woman wounded in the russian bombing of a maternity hospital has died, along with her baby, according to reports today. russian and ukrainian officials resume talks to try to end the fighting after both sides said there was progress over the weekend.

us officials say russia has asked china for military help. the kremlin denies it, and beijing describes it as "disinformation". and here in the uk. families who want to put up ukrainian refugees wait for the government website to go live. how the war in ukraine is accelerating europe's search for alternative energy supplies to russian gas. william hurt — the oscar—winning actor whose roles ranged from 19805 dramas to marvel films — has died. he was 71. and showing support for ukraine, as the power of the dog, starring benedict cumberbatch, won the top prize at last night's baftas. and coming up on the bbc news channel, an emotional return for ukrainian international andriy yarmolenko, who scored in west ham's victory. he had been on compassionate leave since the russian invasion.

good afternoon and welcome to the bbc news at one, live from lviv in western ukraine. russia's bombardment of ukrainian cities continues. at least one resident of a block of flats in kyiv was killed when the building was shelled this morning. several others were wounded. overnight, the president of ukraine said it was inevitable that a russian missile will strike a member state of the nato security alliance. his words came after 35 people were killed in an attack on a large military base in yaroviv near the polish border yesterday. this attack is the most westerly so far. in his nightly video addresss, mr zelensky renewed calls for nato to close the airspace over ukraine.

diplomatic efforts to end the fighting are under way again with a fourth round of talks. mr zelensky said his delegation was trying to arrange direct talks between himself and vladimir putin — a meeting he said he was sure that people were waiting for. from kyiv, our correspondent james waterhouse has this report. these days, air raid sirens form part of the morning routine. then you are reminded why they are there. this nine story residential block was directly hit by a shell, killing at least one person. translation: we hid at least one person. translation: - hid inside the closet. we thought we were going to be captured, that the russians were getting in through the door, but we were wrong. we got out from the apartment and saw that the staircase was not there any more. everything was on fire. it happened in the north-west _ everything was on fire. it happened in the north-west of— everything was on fire. it happened in the north-west of kyiv, - everything was on fire. it happened in the north-west of kyiv, where i everything was on fire. it happened| in the north-west of kyiv, where we in the north—west of kyiv, where we are continuing to see the most intense fighting the capital. that

is not to mean the eastern flank of kyiv is avoiding shells, either. this morning, an assessment of the damage. it has been a day of much heavier artillery fire and we have seen a number of ground to air missiles launching into the sky. but even when these air defence systems work, they don't remove the danger. debris fell from the sky here from an intercepted missile, say authorities, killing a person. this war is expanding within ukraine and it is now reaching the doorstep of the european union and nato. this missile strike on a military base in yavoriv, which killed 35 people, was 15 miles from the polish border. it is why president zelensky is repeating his calls for the west to help police a no—fly zone in his country. help police a no-fly zone in his count . �* ., , ., ., ., country. and now, i repeat again, if ou do country. and now, i repeat again, if you do not— country. and now, i repeat again, if you do not close _ country. and now, i repeat again, if you do not close our _ country. and now, i repeat again, if you do not close our sky, _ country. and now, i repeat again, if you do not close our sky, it - country. and now, i repeat again, if you do not close our sky, it is - country. and now, i repeat again, if you do not close our sky, it is only. you do not close our sky, it is only a matter of time before russian missiles fall in your territory,

nato territory, on the homes of citizens of nato countries. the fi . htin: citizens of nato countries. the fighting is _ citizens of nato countries. the fighting is not _ citizens of nato countries. the fighting is not letting up at all. this is mariupol which has been surrounded by russian forces for 12 days, 12 days of being shelled, i2 days, 12 days of being shelled, 12 days, 12 days of being shelled, 12 days of little water, food or medicine for more than 400,000 people. at least 2000 are known to have died. this woman was rescued after a hospital was shelved last week. today, we learn she and her unborn baby later died. —— was sheued unborn baby later died. —— was shelled last week. not one attempt at a temporary ceasefire has exceeded here. moscow has continually been accused of shelling agreed routes for people to escape and supplies to get in. there will be another go today. peace talks continue today, too, and there are more positive sounds, with ukraine claiming russia has stopped using ultimatums. translation: negotiations with the russian delegation round four, will begin in just a few minutes. our positions

remain unchanged, peace, immediate ceasefire, withdrawal of all russian troops and only after that will we talk about neighbourly relations. it does not mean expectations will suddenly rise. 19 days of a brutal war does not do wonders for optimism. james waterhouse, bbc news, kyiv. we can talk now to our chief international correspondent lyse doucet who is in kyiv. is there a sense that the assault is now closing in on the capital? weill. now closing in on the capital? well, this was one — now closing in on the capital? well, this was one of _ now closing in on the capital? well, this was one of the _ now closing in on the capital? well, this was one of the few _ now closing in on the capital? -ii this was one of the few mornings in this was one of the few mornings in this 19 day invasion where we did not wake up or we were not woken up by the sound of an air raid siren that yet, on this bright winter's day, it has turned into one of the noisiest mornings since the invasion began. we havejust heard noisiest mornings since the invasion began. we have just heard about a minute ago, the rumble of explosions in the distance and all morning, there has been the sound of

surface—to—air missiles being fired by the ukrainians, explosions coming from russian artillery, they are louder, they seem to be coming closer and as we have been reporting, it is mainly on the north—west and the north—east and approaches to the city where we hear these increasingly loud explosions and fierce fighting in towns and suburbs, what used to be charming suburbs, what used to be charming suburbs of this capital, and now they have been laid to waste. with every day, we see more and more the fortifications in this city, fighting back against the russians, isn't just a fighting back against the russians, isn'tjust a question of military might. we visited some of the what are being called humanitarian hubs in this city yesterday, where the city council is now stockpiling food because the people of this city have seen with frightening clarity the kind of sieges and shelling that are now being inflicted on other cities and many believe that it is just a matter of time before it comes to

kyiv. matter of time before it comes to k iv. , , . matter of time before it comes to kiv. ,, . ., matter of time before it comes to kyiv. lyse doucet, as always, thank ou, kyiv. lyse doucet, as always, thank you. reporting _ kyiv. lyse doucet, as always, thank you, reporting from _ kyiv. lyse doucet, as always, thank you, reporting from kyiv. _ until this weekend, most of russia's attacks had been targeted on the south and the east of the country. but yesterday's strike just miles from the polish border suggested a change in strategy. our defence correspondent jonathan beale has this analysis of the russian advance. it's day 19 of russia's invasion of ukraine, and there are still signs of limited advances over the past 36 hours. russian forces have been trying to tighten their stranglehold on key cities. they've been continuing their bombardment of kharkiv in the north—east, and mariupol further south. the uk's ministry of defence also says russian naval forces in the black sea have now established a blockade to cut ukraine from maritime trade. but the most significant development over the past 24 hours has been russia stepping up its attacks on western ukraine — including long—range strikes

on a military basejust12 miles from the polish border. these were the scenes after the strikes on yavoriv — a military base which had been used by nato to train ukrainian forces before the invasion. russia has said it will target the supply lines of weapons from western nations coming across this border. one ukrainian mp says it's an escalation that should worry nato members. the fact that this attack happened so close to the polish border should be setting off alarm bells and red flags for all of the nato member states. nato cannot stand aside from this war, and that war is going to hit nato one of these days very hard. taking the capital kyiv remains a main objective for russia forces — but again, they're making limited progress in the face of ukrainian resistance. russian forces have been reorganising and regrouping outside the city. but there is also evidence that they may need reinforcements too.

there are reports of russia looking to bring in troops from other parts of the country — and even foreign fighters from syria and libya. us officials have also warned that russia's asked china for military assistance — though beijing has called that "fa ke news. " but it's clear that the early stages of this invasion has not gone according to plan for russia — and they're looking at ways of gaining the upper hand, which could widen the conflict and impact nations beyond ukraine's border. jonathan beale reporting there. several unnamed us officials have told multiple news outlets that since invading ukraine, russia has asked china for military equipment and aid. the chinese embassy in the us said it wasn't aware of any such request. in a moment, we can speak to our correspondent jenny hill in moscow, and our china correspondent stephen mcdonell in beijing.

but first to barbara plett usher in washington. barbara, what is being said in the us about this? well, as you said, what we have our newspaper reports quoting unidentified officials are saying that russia has asked china for assistance, including military equipment. they are also saying that russia is running low on certain weapons although they don't say which ones and they don't say what russia has requested from beijing exactly. but there are reports that the white house is concerned that beijing might undermine western support for ukraine's defence but the white house has not publicly commented on those reports. what we have been hearing from the national security adviserjake sullivan is about economic sanctions and warnings to china not to bail russia out when it comes to trying to circumvent those sanctions. he has said there will be consequences if beijing throws a lifeline to russia

from an economic perspective, and he has been meeting his chinese counterpart in rome today and has been conveying that message, among others, that americans are also accusing the chinese of spreading russian disinformation that the us believes could be a pretext to a chemical or biological attack. analysts here have said that if china would indeed send material support to russia, that would be a watershed moment which could affect us chinese relations. the intelligence community have been watching closely and last week spoke about it publicly to congress, saying they assessed at the relations were closer than ever, they thought there would be limits on china's behaviour but they did not know what those would be but they also thought the chinese leadership was unsettled by what was happening in ukraine and also watching closely the alliance between the us and europe because european relations are very important to beijing. important to bei'ing. barbara plett usher, important to bei'ing. barbara plett usher. thank— important to beijing. barbara plett usher, thank you. _ over now to stephen mcdonell in beijing.

how has china responded to these claims? well, asked about this report all these reports that moscow had asked beijing for military assistance in the ukraine war, the foreign ministry spokesman said today that this was fake news. we asked him for clarity several times did that mean there had been no request and what did he mean by fake news? he never gave a clear answer, though. the government here has been running this line that the us has to account for its biological weapons in ukraine and the foreign ministry spokesman again said today that these documents on the us embassy website in ukraine have been hastily removed, which relate to this bio—safety programme that the us has there, with ukrainian officials. i checkedit there, with ukrainian officials. i checked it today and the documents all seems to be there so we put it to the foreign ministry spokesman that they were all there and maybe this is a bit of smear on russia's

part to say that such documents have been removed and he kind of shrugged his shoulders and said he had had different news. on the one hand, china is trying to say that it is a kind of impartial actor when it comes to the ukraine war. on the other, it is trying to use this invasion at every turn to attack the us and if that means spreading these propaganda lines from the kremlin, whether they are confirmed or not, it seems that beijing officials are prepared to do that.— it seems that beijing officials are prepared to do that. thank you for “oininu prepared to do that. thank you for joining us- — let's talk now to jenny hill in moscow. jenny, what is the kremlin saying? well, vladimir putin's spokesman has denied it, has said they have not asked for military assistance from china and dismissed the reports as having been simply published in western papers. they did not come from washington, he said. he western papers. they did not come from washington, he said.- western papers. they did not come from washington, he said. he went on to sa that from washington, he said. he went on to say that russia _ from washington, he said. he went on to say that russia is _ from washington, he said. he went on to say that russia is effectively - to say that russia is effectively capable of fulfilling what it calls its operation in ukraine on time and that was interesting because he was

pressed on this and he said there is no timetable. this is significant because as you know, vladimir putin has framed his operation in ukraine as being about defending the interests of russians in the populations in eastern ukraine against the aggression of kyiv but he is also telling russians they need protecting from ukraine, which is by turn trying to get hold of nuclear weapons or trying to develop biological weapons. and so he needs to tell russian people that this operation is not going to last forever. russian service men are dying and theirfamilies forever. russian service men are dying and their families are beginning to be notified of that. that is why i think we are hearing such positivity around these so called peace talks of late from the kremlin, hearing that the two sides' positions are coming closer together. i think it is really important to question that because in addition to blood may be to needing to look as though he is serious about those negotiations, it is worth noting that the tone from moscow remains belligerent towards ukraine and the west, and it continues to demand what ukraine

does not want to give, ie, chunks of territory, and we can be sure that if those negotiations go nowhere, the kremlin will blame ukraine. jenny hill, many thanks, from moscow. around 2,500 ukrainians are currently stuck in the turkish province of antalya, consular officials have told the bbc. routes home from the tourist destination were shut off after the invasion began. those now facing an uncertain future include the olympic medal—winning national canoe team, as well as players from a number of top—league football clubs. president erdogan has not signed turkey up to many of the west's sanctions against moscow and antalya still allows russian tourists. this report is by our correspondent tom bateman. it feels a world away from war, on the tranquil waters of southern turkey. but life will never be the same for them again. this is ukraine's national canoe

team, now stuck here. ivana left a life she now longs for, then the tanks rolled in. i'm 18 and when my friends from ukraine write to me, "i love you, thank you for all the time we spent together", it is really scary. the situation can happen to anybody. their coach, igor, used to win olympic medals for the soviets. he has got his memories but no future now. i don't know. "i don't know when we will go back to ukraine," he tells me. "we want the war to end." some feel like warriors on water. translation: we will win titles for our independent ukraine - in the water and we will win over those russians, the invaders. antalya was a tourist trap for ukrainians, but now 2,500 have no way home.

oleksandr brought his family on holiday from kyiv a month ago. now they are running out of cash but hoarding memories. it is our cat... president putin claims his war is to save ukraine's ethnic russians, people just like tetya na. translation: to realise that russians invaded - ukraine, it was unreal. my childhood remains there. my sister is there. she is under bombing now, in the basement. and millions of russians flock to this resort each year, too. natasha's visa card won't work. her flights home to russia, cancelled twice. her name is mia. how do you feel about the russia that she is going to grow up into now, the world she is going to grow up in?

oh, it is... it scares me. "i just want my daughter to be free," she says. others here won't speak openly. we met three different russians who have fled for good since the war began. they are worried about their future but they are also nervous, nervous about talking about it in front of our cameras, and that is when you really feel the full weight of the fear that people have of criticising this war. there is national pride now, even in the playground. a refuge from war but a life still trapped in uncertainty. tom bateman, bbc news, antalya. more than 2.5 million people have fled the fighting in ukraine to neighbouring countries since the war began. many of those have headed to poland — more than 1.8 million people have arrived in the country so far, with thousands more arriving overnight.

let's speak now to our correspondent mark lowen, who's in przemysl in poland for us now. poland has been very welcoming, but can it go on absorbing these numbers? well, the strains are beginning to show and meanwhile the arrivals keep coming. we were last here at przemysl station more than two weeks ago and there are still the same numbers as they were back then. new arrivals come by train, they are given food and supplies, there is a basic medical check and then they are put on buses largely to go out to other parts of poland. to give you a sense of the scale, last year poland was the 101st biggest host of refugees in the world. now it is the fourth biggest host of refugees and the fear is that if the fighting intensifies in western ukraine and there are further strikes like the one yesterday on that base close to

the polish border, that could lead to a second wave of refugees. on the whole, polls have thrown open their hearts and homes to ukrainian refugees but in the small border towns they are feeling increasingly overwhelmed. the officials telling me they fear that soon some of the refugees might have to sleep on the streets because they are lacking space in shelters and homes. the mayor said to me they were hoping for significant support from the polish government and the eu but he said, we feel alone.— i'll be back later in the programme, but now i'll hand you back to the studio in london. thank you very much. here in the uk, from today if you want to open up your home to ukrainian refugees, you can register your interest in the government's homes for ukraine scheme. this afternoon the government will update mps in parliament about how it will work. our political correspondent

jonathan blake has more. welcome. let me show you around my home. , ., ., , home. opening their home to help. christopher — home. opening their home to help. christopher and _ home. opening their home to help. christopher and his _ home. opening their home to help. christopher and his partner - home. opening their home to help. christopher and his partner tracy i christopher and his partner tracy are ready to offer room in their house in bridlington as part of the new scheme to house those fleeing the fighting in ukraine. i was homeless — the fighting in ukraine. i was homeless a _ the fighting in ukraine. i was homeless a long _ the fighting in ukraine. i was homeless a long time - the fighting in ukraine. i was homeless a long time ago. l the fighting in ukraine. i was homeless a long time ago. i | the fighting in ukraine. i —" homeless a long time ago. i worked my way back into what we call the system. i have my own home, i'm very lucky and i would like to make it possible for somebody else to be comfortable and safe. that's the main thing, they need to feel safe. since the russian invasion, 2.5 million people have left ukraine in search of safety. 4000 visas have now been approved for those with family in the uk but facing calls to go further, ministers say an unlimited number could come under the new scheme. i unlimited number could come under the new scheme.— the new scheme. i think it is very valuable actually _ the new scheme. i think it is very valuable actually for _ the new scheme. i think it is very valuable actually for a _ the new scheme. i think it is very valuable actually for a ukrainian l valuable actually for a ukrainian refugees arriving in the uk to have a british host that can help them in so many ways, not least with integrating into british life,

especially after they come from somewhere that is in such a traumatic state.— somewhere that is in such a traumatic state. , . traumatic state. under the scheme, ukrainians will _ traumatic state. under the scheme, ukrainians will be _ traumatic state. under the scheme, ukrainians will be able _ traumatic state. under the scheme, ukrainians will be able to _ traumatic state. under the scheme, ukrainians will be able to stay - traumatic state. under the scheme, ukrainians will be able to stay for i ukrainians will be able to stay for at least three years. hosts will receive £350 a month is a thank you payment and councils will get £10,500 of funding per refugee housed in the area. but there is concern about the level of support. i'm full of admiration of all those londoners and those across the country who have offered to provide a room in the home for those fleeing ukraine. they will need support not just financially but the wraparound support required and that's why we are asking the government not simply to speed up a complex and cumbersome and clunky visa process, but also to provide the tangible assistance we will need. . , provide the tangible assistance we will need. ., , , ._ provide the tangible assistance we will need. . , , ._ ., will need. charities will play a crucial part — will need. charities will play a crucial part in _ will need. charities will play a crucial part in the _ will need. charities will play a crucial part in the process, i crucial part in the process, matching offers of accommodation with those who want to come. we are auoin to with those who want to come. we are going to help — with those who want to come. we are going to help connect _ with those who want to come. we are going to help connect people - with those who want to come. we are going to help connect people with i going to help connect people with people _ going to help connect people with people in— going to help connect people with people in ukraine who need to come here _ people in ukraine who need to come here. there's been an incredible

outpouring — here. there's been an incredible outpouring of generosity from our nation _ outpouring of generosity from our nation and — outpouring of generosity from our nation and his a really practical way that— nation and his a really practical way that people can help. without a sponsor. _ way that people can help. without a sponsor, people can't come to the uk. ., , , ., ., sponsor, people can't come to the uk. protesters at a property in london believed _ uk. protesters at a property in london believed to _ uk. protesters at a property in london believed to be - uk. protesters at a property in london believed to be owned i uk. protesters at a property in. london believed to be owned by uk. protesters at a property in i london believed to be owned by a russian oligarchs sanction for links to vladimir putin. ministers have considered seizing mansions like this to house refugees but legally it's far easier said than done. amid criticism from all sides of the government response, many are eagerly awaiting details of exactly how the new scheme work. jonathan blake, bbc news, westminster. 21 ukrainian children have arrived in england to undergo life—saving cancer treatment on the nhs. our health correspondent sophie hutchinson can tell us more. this was an emergency evacuation of some of the sickest children in ukraine following a plea for help from the ukrainian government. these 21 children all have cancer and cannot survive without specialist treatment. they were met yesterday

at the ukrainian polish border by nhs staff. one team boss from university hospital southampton and specialises in the transportation of critically ill children. the other team was from birmingham children's hospital and they were cancer specialists. it was an extremely challenging situation. the teams had no information about the condition of the children before they met them, the staff had promised themselves no child would be turned away because they were too sick. so they had to be able to provide critical care treatment for 21 children on board an aeroplane. in the event, some of the children needed critical care and others needed critical care and others needed chemotherapy. they were allowed to bring siblings under parent. many were very fearful at first but on landing in the uk there was great applause from the families and some of the children were high—fiving the nhs staff. by the end of today, those children should

each be in the destination hospital is being treated by the nhs. thank ou. the financial impact of the war in ukraine is already being felt with higher petrol prices and warnings of further rises in energy bills to come. with the uk phasing out imports of russian gas and oil — including a ban on oil by the end of the year — our science editor rebecca morelle has been looking at how reliant european nations are on russia for energy, and where we might find alternatives. gas is one of russia's most strategic assets but it is becoming one of europe's biggest headaches. as the war in ukraine forces an overhaul of our energy supply, there could also be consequences for climate change. we can actually use this as a huge wake—up call which we desperately need and say, right, this is the moment to break our addiction to fossil fuels altogether, to move to renewables, to invest into renewables much more and that cuts our dependency on oil and gas from russia.

russia is the largest gas exporter in the world. so where is russia's gas going? right now, the eu gets 40% of its gas from russia but some countries are more dependent, like finland, which imports nearly all of its gas. for germany, it is about half. for the uk, it is less than 5% but our gas prices are directly affected by changes in the global markets. so what are the alternatives to russia's gas? one option is to get gas from elsewhere. instead of piping it, it comes in a handy, transportable form, liquefied natural gas, or lng. the one thing we should not allow to drive our energy policy is the assumption that the world is short of gas. lng is a key part of that. there's plenty of it but it will take a bit of an investment cycle to get us from here to there and that is why we have got this bumpy short—term period. and coal could make a comeback. countries like poland have plenty

of it but it is a short—term fix. the longer term plan is to move away from fossil fuels and that means ramping up wind and solar energy. germany, for example, was planning to get all of its energy from renewables by 2040. now that target has been brought forward to 2035. there is also a big push for green hydrogen, which could act as a replacement for gas. but the technology is not there yet, and it is expensive. there are also changes we could make to our homes like better insulation and a mass roll—out of heat pumps. another measure that probably the european citizen will need to further think about is reducing their own consumption by turning down the thermostat in winter by a couple of degrees. so what does it mean for climate change targets? un scientists recently warned there is only a brief window to avoid the worst impacts of global warming. so now we may see more

short—term use of fossil fuels which will increase our emissions, but could a sprint for renewables counteract this and actually take us closer to net zero? i think it might be a bit of a battle, in a way, between the green and the sort of alternative fossil fuel sources. i do have a feeling that this will actually accelerate the sort of zero carbon energy transition because the solutions offered by that make sense. the technologies are available and they are also inexpensive. it is notjust gas that is a problem. there is oil, too. russia exports about half of the oil it produces to europe. the uk has said it will phase out russian imports by the end of the year, but it will need to find a replacement. for now, russia's gas is still flowing into europe and while there is uncertainty over how long the war will last, it has highlighted the changes we need to make our energy more secure. rebecca morelle, bbc news.

"expected" following the easing of restrictions in england. sajid javid said that the uk remains in a "very good position", but he urged adults eligible for a booster vaccine to come forward and get the jab. the latest data shows an increase in cases across the uk. the dominant variant here in the uk is 99.9 infections, percentage—wise, are omicron infections. and whilst the rate has gone up modestly in the last few days, that's to be expected, as we are now open as a country and there's more social mixing. but there's nothing in the data at this point in time that gives us any cause for concern. for the first time in more than a year, people in france will be allowed to go into shops and work without wearing masks from today. the country is relaxing more of its covid rules, including having to show proof of vaccination in places such as restaurants and cafes.

criminal barristers in england and wales have voted